The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-06-16
NO. SO.
KENTUCKY PIONEER LIFE.
INCIDENTS OF EARLY DAYS IN THE
OZARK AND BLOODY GROUND"

Some Account of the Exciting Experiences
ofDanieI Boone and His Followers.
From Harper's Magazine for June)
The dangers which Boone and his
companions encountered in the fields
came to the very doors of their cabins,
and constantly menaced their families.
Indians lurked singly or in parties to
seize prisoner or take scalp whenever
an incautious white should give the OPP
portunity. Frequent combats (and each
combat ended, as rule, in the death of
ono or both of these engaged) had
habituated the men to danger. 1t was
later that they felt the danger of their
wives and children.
Late on Sunday afternoon in July,
l77G, three young girls ventured from
the enclosure of Boonosborouge to amuse
themselves with n canoe upon the river
that flowed by the fort. Insensibly they
drifted with the lazy current, and before
they were aware of their danger were
seized by five warriors. Their resist
ance was useless, though they welded
the paddles with desperation. Their
canoe was drawn ashore, and they were
hurried off in rapid retreat toward the
Shawnee town in Ohio. Their screams
were heard at the fort, and the cause
well guessed. Two of the girls were
Betsey and Frances, daughters of Col.
Richard Galloway, the other was Jemima,
daughter of Boone. The fathers were
absent, but soon returned to hear the
evil nows and arrange the pursuit. GAL
laway assembled u mounted party, and
was away through the woods to head off
the Indians, if possible, before they
might reach and cross the Ohio, or be-
foro the fatigue of their rapid march
should so overcome the poor girls as to
cause their captors to tomahawk them,
and SO dlsencumber their flight.
Boone started directly on the trial
through the thickets and canebrakes.
His rule was never to ride if he could
possibly walk. All his journeys and
huuts, escapes and pursuits, were on
foot. His little party numbered eight,
and the anxiety of fathers heart quick
ened its leader, and found ready re-
sponse in the breasts of three young men,
the lovers of the girls.
Betsey Galloway, the Oldest of the
girls, marked the trail, as the Indians
hurried them along, by breaking twigs
and bonding bushes, and when threaten
ed with the tomahawk If she persisted,
tore small bits from her dress and
dropped them to guide the pursuers.
Where the ground was soft enough to
) receive an impression, they would i'm
press footprint. The flight was in the
best Indian method; the Indiar march
ed some yards apart through tho bushes
and cane, compelling their captives to
do tho same. When creek was crossed
they waded i'll its water to q distant
! point, where the march would be re-
sumed. BY all the caution and skill Of
their training the Indians endeavored 70
obscure the trail and perplox the pur-
suers.
The nightfau of the first day stopped
tho pursuit of Boone before he had gone
far; but he had fixed the direction the
Indians were taking, and at carly dawn
was following them. The chase was
continued with all the speed that could
be nude for thirty miles. Again dark
hess compelled u halt, and again at crack
OF day on Tuesday the pursuit was re-
newed. 1t was not long before o light
film of smoke that roso in the distance
showed where the Indians were cooking
Drcaskfast of buffalo meat. The pur-
Suers cautiously approached, fearing lest
the Indians might slay their captivos and
escape. Col. Ohm Floyd, who was one
OF tho party (himself afterwa1 killed by
lndlans), thus described tho attack and
the rescue in letter written the next
Sunday to tho lieutenant of Fincastle,
Col. William Preston:
"Our study had been how to get the
prisoners without giving tho Indians
time to murder them after they discov-
cred us. -Four of us fired, and all of us
rushed on thom; by which they were
prevented from carrying anything away
except one shot gun without ammunl-.
ton. Colonel Boone and myself had
each It pretty fair shot and they began to
move oil. l am well convinced | shot
one through the body. The one he shot
dropped ms gun; mine had none. The
place was covered with thick cane, and
being so much elated on recovering the
throo poor little heart-brokon girls, we
were prevented from making any furth-
or search. We sent the Indians off al
most naked, some without their mocca-
sins, and none of them with 80 much as
knife or tomahawk. After tho girls
came 20 themselves to speak, they told
uS there were five Indians, four Shaw
ancse and one Cherokee; they could
speak good English, and said they should
go to the Shawanese towns. The war
club we got was like those [ have seen
OF that nation, and several words of their
languages, which the girls retained, we're
known to be Shawanese."
The return of the rescued girls was
the occNsion for great rejoicing. To
crown their satisfaction, the young lovers
had proved their prowess, and under the
eye OF the greatest of all woodsmen had
shown their skill and courage. They
had fairly won the girls they loved. Two
weeks later q general summons went
throughout the httlo settlements to at
tend the first wedding over solemn1zed
on Kentucky soil. Samuel Henderson
and Betsy Galloway were married IN the
presence of an approved company that
celebrated the event with dancing and
feasting. The formal license from the
county court was not waited for, as the
court house of Fincastlc, of which coun-
ty kentucky was part, was distant more
than six hundred miles. The ceremony
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